Could Pterosaurs Swim?

[Cloud the Dinosaur King]

I am wondering, could pterosaurs swim? I've heard in some books that their pycnofibers would weigh them down, but the spent most of their time at sea(minus a few like the azdarchids). Also, the probably fed a lot like modern seabirds. Also, they may have had webbed feet and fingers to help with swimming. Even if the pycnofibers did weigh them down, sea-based pterosaurs probably had less pycnofibers and also may have also had a preening gland like seabirds that made their pycnofibers(which may have been feathers) water-resistant. Also, the Pteros website has a picture of a Pteranodon swimming alongside a couple Hesperornis. Pteros is a very reliable pterosaur website. I suggest you check it out. http://www.pteros.com/

[suspsy]

Yes, they could swim. Mark Witton devotes a section to it in his 2013 book about pterosaurs.

[Cloud the Dinosaur King]

Yes, they could swim. Mark Witton devotes a section to it in his 2013 book about pterosaurs.

Could you tell me the name of the book?

[Cloud the Dinosaur King]

Yes, they could swim. Mark Witton devotes a section to it in his 2013 book about pterosaurs.

Could you tell me the name of the book?

Nevermind. I need this book!

[suspsy]

Yes, you do. It's an excellent book filled with fantastic art.

[Dinoguy2]

Yeah they could probably swim very well and some might even have been divers. Not sure pycnofibers would have made a difference. Plenty of animals swim just fine with fur or feathers, even downy feathers which are most similar to pycnofibers (think baby ducks). Pterosaurs were so filled with air sacs it would take a whole lot to sink one!

[stargatedalek]

It's so difficult for feathers to become waterlogged it really only happens when birds want it to happen or when they get attacked. I've heard that frigates have a lot of difficulty flying when wet but then I've also seen bald eagles dive into the spray from boats to steal stunned fish only to emerge nearly drenched and fly off, so among birds that don't naturally dive there seems to be a lot of variation.

[spinosaurus1]

they would of been pretty decent swimmers. their even capable of quad launching off the waters surface

[BlueKrono]

It's so difficult for feathers to become waterlogged it really only happens when birds want it to happen or when they get attacked. I've heard that frigates have a lot of difficulty flying when wet but then I've also seen bald eagles dive into the spray from boats to steal stunned fish only to emerge nearly drenched and fly off, so among birds that don't naturally dive there seems to be a lot of variation.

I think of bald eagles as strong fliers though. Could pterosaurs even fly? I thought they were just gliders. I'd be very surprised if they could take off from the surface.

[CityRaptor]

Well, that is a rather outdated view of Pterosaurs.  You know the one that has them a terrible flyers and clumsy on the ground that was there a few decades ago. Yes, they could fly.

[suspsy]

It's so difficult for feathers to become waterlogged it really only happens when birds want it to happen or when they get attacked. I've heard that frigates have a lot of difficulty flying when wet but then I've also seen bald eagles dive into the spray from boats to steal stunned fish only to emerge nearly drenched and fly off, so among birds that don't naturally dive there seems to be a lot of variation.

I think of bald eagles as strong fliers though. Could pterosaurs even fly? I thought they were just gliders. I'd be very surprised if they could take off from the surface.

Such notions fell out of favour a long, long time ago. Pterosaurs were not just flyers; they were excellent flyers. They could take to the air from the ground faster than a good many modern birds can. Again, read Mark Witton's book or follow his blog. He's probably the foremost pterosaur expert in the world.

[WarrenJB]

Could pterosaurs even fly? I thought they were just gliders.

You need a good modern book on pterosaurs. I think Mark Witton has one out.

The topic makes me wonder if regularly-diving and swimming pterosaurs had any method of oiling or otherwise waterproofing their pycnofibres, like modern birds. Would the latter have the same effect, or would there be any need? The complex structure of feathers vs. pycnofibres makes me think not, but I'm no expert. I also haven't read enough about pycnofibres to speculate about a mammalian-like water-repellent underlayer - if there's that much available knowledge about pycnofibres in the scientific literature.

[BlueKrono]

The 2013 one? It's been on my Amazon wishlist for a couple months now, for the illustrations alone. My knowledge of pterosaurs is probably about fifth grade level - other prehistoric groups have more captured my attention. It sounds good though... I wonder if there's a comparable one on marine reptiles?

[Lanthanotus]

I know of no book, but you might be interested in the University of Alberta course on Coursera, very solid and easy access information there.

[Neosodon]

It don't think any pterosuars could swim proficiently at least not the big ones.  Some smaller ones may have been able to dive for a fish just a little ways beneath the surface but a larger pterosaur like an Ornithocheirus would probably just brake its long fragile wings on the waters surface. Even if Ornithocheirus managed to dive into the ocean after a fish without breaking its wings it would still move slowly and awkwardly from the drag. Not to mention they would be a sitting duck for a passing mosasaur.  Birds have feathers which are strong and flexible and the water can flow in between them.  Pterosaurs were built for effortless soaring. Their long necks and beaks could easily snatch an unsuspecting fish just beneath the surface without having to submerge itself entirely.

[Cloud the Dinosaur King]

It don't think any pterosuars could swim proficiently at least not the big ones.  Some smaller ones may have been able to dive for a fish just a little ways beneath the surface but a larger pterosaur like an Ornithocheirus would probably just brake its long fragile wings on the waters surface. Even if Ornithocheirus managed to dive into the ocean after a fish without breaking its wings it would still move slowly and awkwardly from the drag. Not to mention they would be a sitting duck for a passing mosasaur.  Birds have feathers which are strong and flexible and the water can flow in between them.  Pterosaurs were built for effortless soaring. Their long necks and beaks could easily snatch an unsuspecting fish just beneath the surface without having to submerge itself entirely.

Pterosaur wings were actually pretty thick. They were about as thick as the arms and less like leather. They also had tissue in them to help thicken them.

[spinosaurus1]

It don't think any pterosuars could swim proficiently at least not the big ones.  Some smaller ones may have been able to dive for a fish just a little ways beneath the surface but a larger pterosaur like an Ornithocheirus would probably just brake its long fragile wings on the waters surface. Even if Ornithocheirus managed to dive into the ocean after a fish without breaking its wings it would still move slowly and awkwardly from the drag. Not to mention they would be a sitting duck for a passing mosasaur.  Birds have feathers which are strong and flexible and the water can flow in between them.  Pterosaurs were built for effortless soaring. Their long necks and beaks could easily snatch an unsuspecting fish just beneath the surface without having to submerge itself entirely.

i recomend reading this
http://pterosaur-net.blogspot.com/2011/11/water-launching-pterosaurs.html

pterosaur wings are FAR from frail. large pterosaurs would have been able to generate so much force that they can effectively hulk smash, i mean, quad launch themselves out of a body of water. some of the largest azhdarchids would of had arms almost as wide as a human waist and the wings themselves has various adaptions to improve the overall rigidity. they were far from tissue paper

it is important to note that a large majority of vertebrates on earth are instinctively capable of swimming.

[Neosodon]

It don't think any pterosuars could swim proficiently at least not the big ones.  Some smaller ones may have been able to dive for a fish just a little ways beneath the surface but a larger pterosaur like an Ornithocheirus would probably just brake its long fragile wings on the waters surface. Even if Ornithocheirus managed to dive into the ocean after a fish without breaking its wings it would still move slowly and awkwardly from the drag. Not to mention they would be a sitting duck for a passing mosasaur.  Birds have feathers which are strong and flexible and the water can flow in between them.  Pterosaurs were built for effortless soaring. Their long necks and beaks could easily snatch an unsuspecting fish just beneath the surface without having to submerge itself entirely.

Pterosaur wings were actually pretty thick. They were about as thick as the arms and less like leather. They also had tissue in them to help thicken them.

By brake I don't mean tear. If a large pterasaur tried to dive in the water at high speeds it's massive wings would be yanked back by the surface tension and the joints in the wing could become dislocated.

[CityRaptor]

Eh, wouldn't they fold their wings if they dive, like birds do?

[spinosaurus1]

while i would say that i agree that it pretty likely that the largest pterosaurs such as azhdarchid wouldn't be diving for fish, pterosaurs like Ornithocheirus or pteranodon are no heavier then the largest flying birds, which were pelagic might i add. simply folding the wings while initiating a dive would reduce drag and water resistance. these actions can be seen in both birds and bats.

either way being able to dive =/= swimming capability. pterosaurs, while obviously not particularly too reliant on it, they were likely decent swimmers.